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It's time for the 24th annual Wooden Boat Festival: Madisonville Town Talk

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Mayfield Elementary School fifth-grader Elliot Collier's art of a wooden boat resting on the banks of the river was selected to be featured on the 2013 Wooden Boat Festival’s children’s T-shirt. Collier signs one of the T-shirts going on sale at the Wooden Boat Festival this weekend. (Photo courtesy of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Maritime Museum)

Fall has arrived. What better way to enjoy the milder weather than by attending a festival along the scenic Tchefuncte River in Madisonville. More than 100 wooden boats will be navigating the Tchefuncte River Oct. 12-13 en route to the 24th annual Wooden Boat Festival.

The 2013 Wooden Boat Festival artist Peter Briant poses with Nette Thompson of Mandeville in front of the 2013 poster that will be on sale at the festival this weekend. (Photo by Iris Vacante)

The festival, which spans from the riverfront to the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Maritime Museum, offers fun for the entire family including food, live music and arts and crafts. There will also be an expansive Children’s Village, the Quick ‘n Dirty Boat Building contest, and a classic and antique car show.

“The 24th annual Wooden Boat Festival is on track to be our best festival!” said Don Lynch, Museum Executive Director. “The excitement level is building, and the boaters are more anxious than ever to get the festival under way.”

On Water Street, festival goers can view and tour classic and wooden boats on display, enjoy an assortment of foods sold by food vendors, and shop for fine wares sold by artists and marine vendors. Also on sale on the riverfront will be the collectible Wooden Boat Festival poster created and signed by renowned artist Peter Briant.

On the southern end of Water Street, children can visit the popular St Tammany Woodworkers Guild tent, where they can build a small wooden boat from pre-cut pieces. The guild members spend months preparing for the event, which is free to children.

Mayfield Elementary School fifth-grader Elliot Collier, of Slidell, is the grand prize winner the 2013 Children's Village Art Contest held in conjunction with the 24th annual Wooden Boat Festival. (Photo courtesy of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Maritime Museum.)

The Children’s Village, located on the Main Street ball field, will offer many exciting activities for the little ones. On Oct. 12, Louisiana Spirit will present a puppet show on hurricane preparedness at 10 a.m. and again at noon. Author Michelle Hirstius will read her book, "JuJu-The Good VooDoo," at 11 a.m. and 2 and 3:30 p.m. At 1 p.m. in the Children’s Village country music singer, Helene, will perform. The Children's Village also features mini boat races, science experiments, robotics demonstrations, a bounce house, and an inflated maze. On Oct. 13 at 11 a.m., Frank Levy will lead an interactive performance of "Peter Pan."

The Children’s Village is also where team members for the Quick n’ Dirty Boat Race use cunning carpentry skills to build their vessel in hopes of crossing the finish line first. Teams of four to six crew members build their vessel in two days, pick themes, name their boats and dress up in costume before parading - Mardi Gras style - to the river on Oct. 13 at 2 p.m. to vie for first place.

A car show also will draw more than 100 antique and classic cars to Main Street and Mabel Drive to the delight of car enthusiasts.

The music line up kicks off at 6 p.m. on Oct. 12 with Acoustic Americana and Blues performer Patrick Cooper accompanied by Dwight Breland. At 7:30 p.m. the “World’s Greatest 80’s Experience” will begin as The Molly Ringwalds take the stage. On Oct. 13 at 12:30, the Mandeville High School Jazz Band will perform.

Gates on Water Street open at 10 a.m. and close at 6 p.m. Daily admission is $10 for adults, $5 for senior citizens and children under 12 are free. Paid admission also gives festival goers free admission to the Maritime Museum and free off-site parking at Sam's, including shuttle service.

For more information on the Wooden Boat Festival or to become a volunteer, contact Louise Saenz at wbf@lpbmm.org.

Maritime Mania tickets still on sale

Tickets still are on sale for the kickoff party, Maritime Mania, being held Oct. 11 from 7:30 until 10:30. Party goers can mingle with boat owners and captains while enjoying food from local restaurants and live music by the band Twilight. Tickets for the Maritime Mania cost $75 each or $125 for two.

Art contest results announced

The Lake Pontchartrain Maritime Museum held a parish-wide student art contest last month to select a winner whose art will be featured on the children’s T-shirts at the Wooden Boat Festival. Children who entered the contest were invited to a special reception at the museum on Sept. 29, where they announced the winner.

Elliot Collier, a fifth-grader from Slidell, was the winner of the contest. She is student at Mayfield Elementary, where she is in the Gifted Art classes led by teacher Robyn Kennedy.